Maneuvering means for underwater salvage equipment



June 11, 1935. E. J. ROMANO 2,004,133

MANEUVERING MEANS FOR UNDERWATER SALVAGE EQUIPMENT Filed March 27, 1953 4 s t -s at 1 Tl If;

\ INVENTOR [PT EUGENE c/i ROMHNO ATTORNEYS MrW MANEUVERING MEANS FOR UNDERWATER SALVAGE EQUIPMENT Filed March 27, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EuszNEJ. RoMHNo V fld M ATTORNEY5 June 11, 1935. E. J. ROMANO 2,004,133

MANEUVERING MEANS FOR UNDERWATER SALVAGE EQUIPMENT Filed March 27, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 5" EuaE rE $F5ZMJ7NO M "M ATTORN EYE) E. J. ROMANO 2,004,133

MANEUVERING MEANS FOR UNDERWATER SALVAGE EQUIPMENT June 11, 1935.

Filed March 27, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR EUGENE cl HoMflNo BY 2 f r7 6 ATTORNEYS manner.

Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED. STATES MANEUVERING' MEANS FOR UNDERWATER SALVAGE EQUIPMENT Eugene J. Romano, Seattle, Wash.

Application March 27, 1933, Serial No. 663,030

Claims.

My present invention relates to the art of marine salvage equipment and more particularly tomaneuvering means for under water salvage equipment. I

The principal object of my present invention is the provision of maneuvering means which permit the exact placement ofa diving bell even tho it may be far beneaththe surface of the water.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby, after the bell has been placed in its desired position, it may be revolved so that any arms or ports may face inthe most desired direction. l

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my device. I Figure 2 is a side elevation of an under water diving chamber employing my maneuvering mechanism the same being shown partly in sections to. better illustrate the construction.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2 showing my maneuvering arrangement in plan view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the guide-supports on an anchor line for a maneuvering line.

Figure 5 is a. fragmentary top plan view showing an end of the sheave support bar together with one of the heads and one of the retaining clamps.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line B-,-6 of Figure 4.,

Figure 7 is a sectional view along the line 'I-l of Figurefi.

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views along the lines 88 and 99, respectively, of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, 6 designates any desirable type of under water diving chamber intended for marine salvage work. Disposed upon an annular ledge 8 which is preferably machined into the bell, is a movable ring gear ID. This gear may be held in position by any'convenient means. It has been found in the present instance that an over hanging ring as 12' which is secured to the bell by a plurality of stud bolts or cap screws I4 is a very convenient ,The ring gear 12 is thus retained in position but still free to revolve about the bell.

In following out the principals of my invention it is necessary that the maneuvering ring, as ring gear Ill, be provided with means for revolving it from inside: the diving compartment. To this end I have provided the spur gear it which is fixedly secured to the revolvable shaft l8 which is arfixedly secured to shaft [8, or as I have illustrated,

it maybe a handle as 22 which is revolvably connected to shaft l 8 thru a ratchet as 24 and a pawl member 26, adapted to revolve shaft l8 in either direction. The exact form of this control means is relatively unimportant as various shaped diving chambers will necessarily require a different control means at this point.

Fixedly secured to ring I 0 are a plurality of maneuvering lines as 28, 29, and 3|. The size of these lines will depend somewhat upon what conditions the diving chamber is going to be used under. In the showing I have made wherein the diving chamber is provided with mechanical arms which will be required at times to lift considerable weight, it is desirable that these lines be relieved of the necessity of maintaining the weight of the diving chamber and for this purpose I have provided a heavy hoisting cable as 32. In some instances, tho, where such arms were not provided it might be more desirable to slightly increase'the size of the maneuvering lines and require them to handle the entire load of supporting the chamber.

Referring to Figure 1, I have indicated the diving chamber 6 as about to work on a sunken hull of a ship as S. In such an operation it is necessary to have some surface craft such as the barge B which will be equipped with suitable cranes and the like as indicated at C. Now one of the problems which confront marine salvage at any depth below the surface is the possibility of rough water surface interferring with the salvageoperations.

To this end it has been found desirable to run out radially a number of anchors as 34, 35, 36, 31 and then to have anchor lines as 38, 40, 42, 44, connecting the anchors to the barge. In this manner the barge cannot be appreciably displaced from its desired position providing the anchors use of the cable 32. In addition to the support afforded by the cable 32, the maneuvering lines 28, 29, 30 and 3|, also aid in supporting the vessel. The maneuvering lines however are primarily intended to move or maneuver the vessel in lateral directions, after the desired depth has been reached by the vessel. These maneuvering lines are secured to suitable appliances on the barge B, and each line extends a suitable distance alongside an anchoring line to a sheave as lls, and from the sheave the maneuvering line extends at an angle to the anchoring line, inwardly toward and is fastened to the supporting ring H3. This angular extension of each of the maneuvering lines provides for the lateral adjustment of the submarine vessel with relation to the ship S. With the four anchors and anchor lines located at the four points of the compass, the attendants on the barge, by suitable appliances, may pull one maneuvering line and slack out on another line to move the diving bell or vessel, and when the desired location is reached, the four maneuvering lines are made taut to hold the submarine vessel in stationary position In such position the central hoisting cable 32 may be perpendicular, or it may be swung to an angle to the perpendicular but in any event, the submarine vessel is held in stable position by means of the hoisting cable and the maneuvering lines in connection with the anchoring lines and anchors.

The sheaves or guides 46 for the maneuvering lines are each mounted on a, support, which, as best shown in Figure 4 comprises a bar 50 of suitable length which is provided with spaces heads 5| and 53. These heads have openingstherethrough to accommodate the anchor line, as 39, and the supports may be shifted along the anchoring line to desired position with regard to the depth at which the submarine vessel is to operate. By means of a lower clamp 52 and an upper .clamp 54, fixed to the anchor line below and above the support, the support is heldin place on the anchor line, and it is free to turn or swing on the anchor line. The sheave 46 through which the maneuvering line passes is offset from the head 53 of the support, at the inner side of the anchoring line, and this position of the sheave and of its support 50 at the inner side of the anchoring line is maintained by the use of a Weight 56 that'is suspended from the head 5!, at the innerside of the anchor line. Thus, regardless of any twisting or turning movement of the anchor line 38. the support 58 for the guide sheave 46 remains in required position, and the sheave as indicated changes the direction of the maneuvering line 28 passing therethrough.

It is believed it will be apparent from Figure 1 that in operation the sheave should be placed sufliciently far down the anchor line so that the lower part of the maneuvering line will not be operating at a very great angle with the ocean floor. This increases the ease of maneuvering and prevents swaying which might otherwise occur if the maneuvering lines extended upwardly at a very sharp angle.

M ethod of operation barge and informs them which cable to tighten up on or slack off from so as to bring him in proper operating position. It will be understood that the greater number of maneuvering cables employed providing they are equally spaced about a circle the greater the ease of maneuvering. It has normally been found most convenient to use about four such lines, three could be used and of course a greater number would only add to the ease of maneuvering. It is essential however that sheaves 46 be spaced well around the circle having the seat of operation as its center. As soon as the operator has the diving chamber 6 in proper position he can then revolve the chamber with respect to his cable set up, by use of, as illustrated, the handle 22 which will thru shaft l8 and gear l6, revolve the bell itself with respect to the maneuvering cables and as the maneuvering cables are substantially fixed he can then place the bell so as to face any way he desires.

While I have shown a gear ring l0 mounted on the submarine vessel as a support to which themaneuvering lines are attached, and a spur gear for co-action with the ring in turning the vessel, it will be understood that other suitable means may be employed under some conditions for accomplishing this purpose, without departing from the principles of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-- I

1. In maneuvering means for a submarine vessel, the combination with a float and anchoring means therefor, of a submarine vessel-support and a vessel rotatable in said support, maneuvering' lines attached to the vessel-support and guides on the anchoring means for said lines, means on the float for controlling the various lengths of said lines, and means for revolving the vessel with relation to its support.

2. In maneuvering means for a submarine vessel, the combination with a vessel-support and a relatively revolvable vessel, and means for revolving the vessel, of anchored lines, maneuvering lines attached to said support, guiding means on said anchored lines for said maneuvering lines, and control means above the surface for the maneuvering lines.

3. In submarine salvaging equipment, the combination with a float and anchored lines therefor, of guide devices on said lines, maneuvering lines having control devices on the float and passing through said guide devices, a submarine support suspended from the maneuvering lines, a submarine vessel revolvably mounted with rela-- tion to the support, means for revolving the vessel, and means within the vessel for controlling the revolving means.

4. In submarine salvaging equipment, the combination with a float and its anchored lines, and adjustable guide devices on said lines, of means for holding the guides in adjusted position, maneuvering lines passed through said guides, control means on the float for said maneuvering lines,-a submarine support suspended from'the maneuvering lines, a vessel revolvably mounted with relation to the support, means for revolving the vessel, and control means for the revolving means.

5. In submarine salvaging equipment, the combination with a float and its anchored lines, adjustable guides, and means for securing said guides in adjusted position on the lines, of maneuvering lines passing through saidguides and control devices on the float for said lines, an

annular support suspended from the maneuvering lines, a vessel revolvably mounted in the support, co-acting means on the support and vessel for revolving the latter, and means within the vessel for controlling the co-acting means.

6. In submarine equipment, the combination with supporting lines having direction-changing guides thereon, of separate maneuvering lines free of the anchoring lines and passing through said guides and means for controlling the length of said lines, and a submarine vessel suspended at the lower ends of said maneuvering lines.

7. In submarine equipment, the combination with maneuvering lines and a gear ring anchored thereto, of a submarine vessel rotatably mounted in said ring, a pinion journaled on the vessel and engaging said ring, and operating means within the vessel for said pinion.

8. In maneuvering means for a submarine vessel, the combination with a vessel-support and a relatively revolvable vessel and means for revolving the vessel, of a plurality of anchored lines, maneuvering lines attached to said support, directing-changing supports mounted on said anchoring lines for said maneuvering lines, and

control means above the surface for the maneuvering lines.

9. In maneuvering means for a submarine vessel, the combination with a vessel support and a relatively revolvable vessel and means for revolving the vessel, of a plurality of anchored lines, a support-loosely mounted on each line and retaining means for said supports, a directionchanging guide-sheave mounted on each support, maneuvering lines attached to the vessel support and passing through said guide sheaves, and control means above the surface for said maneuvering lines.

10. In maneuvering means for a submarine vessel, the combination with a vessel-support and a vessel supported thereby, of a plurality of anchored lines, a support loosely mounted on each line and retaining means for said supports, a direction-changing sheave mounted on each support, maneuvering lines attached to said vesselsupport and passing through said sheaves, and control means above the surface for said maneuvering lines.

EUGENEJ. ROMANO. 

